Flip N' Read

August 2018

Up-Front

A Perpetual Spring

Date
April 2014

Author
Jerry Stotler

Category
Up-Front

There is no time of year that I look forward to more than springtime. As a lifelong resident of the Puget Sound area, it’s the time of year when the Mariners are a month into their season, the weather is ideal and my energy level increases for the warmer days of summer ahead.

In my 32 years spent in the Pacific Northwest hospitality industry, it’s also the time of year we gear up for out-of-town visitors that flock to the region to enjoy the area attractions. In the two years I have been a part of the management team at Hotel Bellevue, I have determined that it is springtime year-round. Unlike the staff at traditional hotels, the 50 of us that make up the hotel team (housekeeping room attendants, concierge staff, guest services, laundry attendants and front desk agents), we gear up for high demand daily.

This delightful amenity of yours has become one of the most sought after gems for lodging in the region. In fact, the number of hotel guests referred by Bellevue Club members is at an all-time high, and along with the many public accolades noted in magazines and travel blogs, we are experiencing a springlike environment month after month.

With this demand comes a level of energy from each member of the hotel team that is perpetually maintained. At this pace, there are no dog days of summer or winter doldrums, just constant movement.

As I compare the many experiences I have enjoyed as an hotelier, it’s difficult to measure the unique environment of Hotel Bellevue against the other boutique hotels, convention properties and resorts I’ve been involved with over the years. The constant activity in all areas of the Club that begins at the front door is unparalleled. A recent conversation with a loyal guest defined the vibe precisely when she shared this with me: “The reason I choose to stay here has everything to do with people always being around instead of empty corridors and lobbies.”

“People being around,” I love these words. They tie in with the daily reality here at the club that includes perpetual motion. Engaging with people throughout the day and night stimulates our senses and keep our brains working. While the month of May is considered to be the middle of the spring season, for the 50 of us here in the hotel, myself included, we get the pleasure of enjoying the increased energy every day.